Mosquito Board sets budget, keeps 2009 millage rate

Friday

ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH -- Board members of Anastasia Mosquito Control District on Thursday night approved 4-1 their final millage rate and budget for 2010.

The board kept the millage the same as last year, at 0.1325 mills, which will collect $2.8 million, a drop from last year's $3.1 million budget.

Col. Ron Radford, a district board member, said, "We're the only organization in the county that did not raise their millage rate."

Board member John Sundeman opposed both the millage and the budget.

Vivian Browning, another board member, said property values have dropped, "So this year there is an actual reduction in taxes."

The budget for 2010 is estimated to be $5.6 million, of which $1.3 million will be salaries and $2.5 million will pay to construct the district's proposed new headquarters near State Road 16 and Interstate 95.

That structure became a point of contention for St. Augustine activist Ed Slavin, who said the district didn't need a new building.

"It's a Taj Mahal, and a very poorly designed Taj Mahal. It doesn't have a back door. In this economy it would be imprudent to build a $4 million building," he said.

He said going ahead with the project would be "misfeasance, malfeasance and nonfeasance."

Browning said the new 9,000-square-foot headquarters cost would be kept within the $2.5 million limit, though there could be additional funding in years ahead.

"We'll have $1.8 million in reserve after we pay the $2.5 million for the building," she said. "Let's not back off on not getting (all our equipment) out there."

A fundamental reason for moving inland from the beach base station is to avoid the possibility of a hurricane flooding the district's vehicles, spilling dangerous chemicals into floodwaters and being cut off from the mainland and inoperable at a time when mosquito control will be vital to protect public health, she said.

Jose Perez, one of the principle architects of PGH Architects, which built the new Emergency Operations Center and the County Administration Building, said design is an "evolutionary" process.

Board Chair Janice Bequette wanted the building built as "green" as possible, though Perez said that might raise its cost by 10 to 20 percent.

Sundeman had calculated that the building would actually be 43,529 square feet and cost $133 per square foot, which would make the cost approach $3 million for the first phase, and from $6 million to 7 million on following phases.

"That's going to wipe us slap out," he said. "I've never seen one of these government projects come in below budget."

But Browning said she calculates $100 per square foot for heated and cooled space and $75 square feet for warehouse, garage and other spaces.

"Only $2.5 million is budgeted at this time," she said.

Perez said he had tweaked the design and came out with 8,000 square feet in heated and cooled space, abd 15,000 square feet in other areas.

"Another building of about 400 square feet would hold chemicals and fueling areas," he said.

Board member Jeanne Moeller said the county held up the zoning for their parcel, breaking the terms of a written agreement, because some commissioners want to waste $19,900 in taxpayer money for an efficiency study of the district.

"So don't count on the county for cooperation," she said.

Perez said the conceptual designs will be done by the second week in October with the final design ready by the middle of February 2010. Permitting and bidding will be done simultaneously with the design process and construction can start in May 2010 with completion by February 2012.

Browning said, "We are back on the county's agenda on Oct. 20. There will be a joint meeting if there is no agreement (by staff). This is going to be a long journey. We're ready to save money and serve the community."

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